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This test consists of 5 short answer questions, 10 short essay questions, and 1 (of 3) essay topics.

Short Answer Questions

1. When Christopher Columbus returned to Spain after inadvertently landing in the Americas, he told the Queen and King of Spain that he had reached Asia and an island off of China. In reality, Columbus had traveled to what currently-known locations?

2. According to the author in Chapter 4, in 1700 colonial trade equaled £500,000; by 1770 it totaled how much?

3. The author notes in Chapter 2 that by 1800, how many blacks had been transported as slaves to the Americas?

4. Martin Van Buren served as U.S. President during what years?

5. Who among Christopher Columbus’s shipmates took the Pinta on an unauthorized expedition in search of an island called "Babeque" to search for gold while in Cuba?

Short Essay Questions

1. Where does the author assert the history of slavery in the U.S. originated in Chapter 2?

2. How does the author describe Virginia’s “chain of oppression” in Chapter 3?

3. How are the traditions and cultures of the Native American tribes described regarding their perception of women in Chapter 6?

4. How does the author describe Mexico’s land area and status after 1821 in Chapter 8?

5. What does the author say of “natural antipathy” in Chapter 2?

6. What was the first representative assembly introduced in Virginia? What were the responsibilities of this assembly regarding slavery?

7. How is the Flour Riot of 1837 described in Chapter 10? What was the cause of the riot?

8. Where did Christopher Columbus intend to travel when he “discovered” the Americas? Where does the author assert he actually landed in Chapter 1?

9. What choice were the Native American people given in regard to their futures and their homes, according to the author in Chapter 7?

10. What positive qualities of the establishment of the United States does Zinn discuss in Chapter 4?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Discuss the surrounding circumstances of the American Civil War and the battles, casualties, and aftermath of the war. What were the tensions like between the North and South following the Union victory? How was order maintained by the government at this time?

Essay Topic 2

Discuss the policies of President Woodrow Wilson. In his first term as President, Wilson persuaded a Democratic Congress to pass major progressive reforms. What were these reforms? How did they affect the common citizens of the country?

Essay Topic 3

Describe and discuss Sojourner Truth and her “Ain’t I a Woman?” speech in Akron, Ohio. When did Sojourner Truth give this speech? How was it received? In what ways do you think Sojourner Truth influenced perceptions of women in society?

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